A One-Day Interdisciplinary Postgraduate ConferenceFriday 5th September 2008English Research Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, UKFunded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Keynote Speaker:Ian Buchanan, Professor of Critical and Cultural Theory in the School ofEnglish, Communication, and Philosophy, Cardiff University.

â€˜It is never the beginning or the end which are interesting; thebeginning and the end are points. What is interesting is the middleâ€™Dialogues II, p.39

For Gilles Deleuze, the real potential of a text lies in process, in itslines of flight. The artistâ€™s ability to take up the â€˜interrupted lineâ€™in the middle mobilises a becoming through art, a creation of somethingnew and of endless transformative potential. This interdisciplinarypostgraduate conference invites students from the fields of English, FilmStudies, Philosophy, Art, Performing Arts, and Cultural Studies toexplore how Deleuzeâ€™s concept of the â€˜line of flightâ€™ opens up new, non-representational readings of the text, offering innovative spaces inwhich to actualise different art forms and ultimately different lines ofthought. The following issues will be investigated:

In what ways do particular art forms operate lines of flight?How can Deleuze be applied to contemporary texts?How is his work relevant for literature/film/art today?How does Deleuzeâ€™s work relate to other theoretical paradigms?How can Deleuze be used to open up new readings of literature?In an age in which identity politics has become so important, where canDeleuzian theory fit?

Call for Papers

Proposals are invited for 20 minute papers from postgraduates exploringany of the above issues. Please send an abstract of 300 words and a briefbiographical note (no more than 100 words) in Times New Roman size 12 toLucy Prodgers (lucy.prodgers_at_student.mmu.ac.uk) by Friday 20th June 2008.